Friday, July 23, 2010

Dfeast Recipe: Mac and Cheese....with a twist!

I've become a nesting fool, and Real Simple magazine is one of the ways I scratch that itch. A couple winters ago they published a series of recipes for comfort foods with a healthy twist -- ways to make the foods you love to eat a little less bad for you. The one I tried and loved -- B did, too! -- was Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower.

Not that this is a diet recipe, of course -- there's plenty of cheese for us cheese hounds, and warm deliciousness for when the weather goes to crap. But it was nice to use whole wheat macaroni and slide some veggies into a dish that wasn't born that way.

I've provided the text below and the link above (commenters offered a couple tweaks I've yet to try). My own tweaks? I used ready-made breadcrumbs rather than bread, thereby eliminating step #2 of the recipe as well as a need for fresh parsley, bread, and a food processor (which I don't own). Also, I think I'd only use half the recommended Dijon the next time I make it - the mustard gave a nice tang, but I found it a bit overpowering.

Directions
1) Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the cauliflower during the last 3 minutes of cooking time; drain.

2) Meanwhile, pulse the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Add the parsley, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and pulse to combine; set aside. (Optional step - you can use ready-made breadcrumbs.)

Wow, this looks good! I've never put sour cream in mac and cheese, but I bet it really adds to the creamy flavor, and cauliflower sounds like a GREAT way to add crunch. I have a ton of broccoli from our local farm, so I'm going to try this with broccoli instead--it'll probably give it the same kind of healthy crunch.

Hi there.

I'm Karen. I'm a PWD - Type 1 diabetes, to be exact. I live in Brooklyn. I obsess about things. I have a husband, a darling little girl, and two cats (all awesome). I read a lot. I love coffee (a bit too much).